


Hauned (but not really)

by CravingCraze



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Connor Lives AU, Fluff, For Halloween, Ghost Connor??? Kinda, M/M, Spooky, angsty, evan stutters, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-12-21 09:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21072323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CravingCraze/pseuds/CravingCraze
Summary: The abandoned apple orchard, as Evan had recently found out, was haunted.Well, to an extent.





	Hauned (but not really)

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning- mentions of suicide attempt
> 
> Updating this again for Halloween!!! Trying to get another one shot out tonight!!

The abandoned apple orchard, as Evan had recently found out, was haunted.

Well, to an extent.

It was an eerie place, especially when the leaves changed color and the trees became bare. Rotten apples hung from the old trees, making them hang heavily. The old black gate was worn down and scraped up the overgrown grass when Evan had opened it. He just needed space from everyone that autum afternoon.

But when he'd laid down against a tree for a nap, things got weird.

Nothing was different, but he was still in the apple orchard during the dream.

But Connor Murphy was there. As a ghost. Floating in front of him.

It'd startled him so much he'd screamed and woke up in a panic, not knowing what was real and what wasn't.

It took a while to calm down, but he eventually did, and grew curious of _why _exactly why Connor was in his dream, where he was, and how he was able to see him.

So, he did the next logical thing, and took a nap, because that's how he found him last time, so there was a damn good chance he'd find him again.

Or it was an excuse to sleep. One of the two options.

But either way it worked, because Connor was still there, sitting under a tree, and... he looked really lonely.

So Evan decided to talk to him.

He was still the same Connor from the first day of school, but he seemed so tired, and less snappy. Still, he perceived, trying his best to talk to him.

"I'm not sure why I'm here," Connor had shrugged when he'd asked. "All I know is that I'm stuck here. This feels like a dream I can't wake up from endless."

He then gave him a pointed look and asked, "How're _you _here?"

"I just... t-took a nap and now... here I am," Evan gestured to all around them.

They came to the conclusion that they were sharing some weird type of dream for some reason. Whatever the reason was, they had each other now. Evan started to consistently sneak to the orchard to see him, because he could only see him in his dreams there.

Connor could manipulate his surroundings to whatever he wanted. It was more like a dream than either of them had realized.

"Sometimes n-none of this feels real," Evan told Connor one day, gazing at the clouds.

"We should give this place a name," Connor looked at him. "Maybe '_The Dream Inscape'_, since I cant like, leave this place. Inescapable."

"Seems fitting," it was a sad name and Evan was fully aware of this, but it was true.

"Exactly," Connor nodded. "I don't even know how long I've been here."

"I've been coming here for two weeks. Were you, were you here before m-me?" Evan had thought about this a lot, because he still didn't know what Connor had gone through before he came.

"Yeah," he shrugged, "It was probably a few days before you found me. It was... lonely."

"I wish I talked to you... a-after the letter incident," Evan told him. "I've... always wanted to."

"We're talking now, though," he offered him a smile. "I know I can be intimidating, it's kinda my specialty."

"Doesn't mean I like it," he huffed out, and leaned against Connor, biting his lip.

Connor nudged him, "What's wrong?"

"What? N-nothing, nothing's wrong..." Evan lied, refusing to look at him.

"You're biting your lip, so something's bugging you. Now spill," Connor crossed his arms.

Evan stayed silent for a moment, before saying, "People are- they're _t-talking _about you... That you... tried to k-kill yourself... by s-swallowing twenty pills..."

Connor looked away from him. He didn't say anything at first, but he had his hand on Evan's knee, gently rubbing it. Small gestures like this were meant to keep Evan calm so he knew he wasn't mad at him, to keep his anxiety from spiraling out of control. Gently, he pulled him closer, letting Evan lay his head onto his shoulder.

"Did you...?" Evan had asked so quietly, like he was afraid of the answer.

Connor swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Yeah..." he choked out, and tightened his grip around Evan.

Evan stayed silent for the most part, processing what he'd said. It _sucked, _because he knew exactly how Connor was feeling. He'd been there just in the summertime, feeling more alone than ever. What was worse what that the feeling never really stopped until he met Connor. Officially, at least, but the letter incident counted, he supposed. Although one would argue they were polar opposites, they still had a lot in common. They were both outcasts in school, both depressed, shared a love for marvel, but most importantly needed a friend.

"I know how you feel..." he was surprised that he didn't stutter that time, but it brought relief to him. He hated his stutter. That damn stutter made everything he said feel less geniue.

Connor froze, staring down at him, "Evan, are you-?"

"This is, this is about you, not me," he protested, his voice shaky and uneasy. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to talk about it, not without breaking down, at the very least. It was too much in that moment.

Connor wanted to fight him on this, to tell him his story was worth sharing, that _he _was worth it, but he could see him fighting back tears, and decided not to press forward. He tightened the grip around him, though, hoping it'd ground Evan and calm him down.

A sad but comfortable silence fell between them, as the duo stared up into the sky. Connor briefly wondered what Evan was thinking about, as the latter did about the other.

"Can I... r-read to you?" Evan was the first one to speak up. "It's weird, I know, but I thought it'd be.. nice? You know?"

Connor smiled so wide it was a bit ridiculous, "Yeah. Definitely, go right ahead."

The next thing he knew, he was hearing a new story whenever Evan wasn't around. They were currently trying to get through a book called 'The Belle Jar' that dealt with depression in the 1920's. It was _incredibly _interesting and Connor was sure they were definitely about halfway through the book.

Evan had told him how much it bugged him to see him hooked up to all those wires, and just in general how lifeless he looked. It was why he brought The Belle Jar, it kept him from looking at Connor and helped him focus on the story.

Every time Connor heard Evan's voice or saw his sweet, emerald eyes, it made his heart soar and his cheeks flush. He made him feel less alone, more proud of his accomplishments, and in general, just more _happy. _He wanted to actually do stuff with him, though, like go out to movies, walk in the park, or even just play Halo (Jared apparently got him into it). He could easily fake it in '_The Dream Inscape', _but it just frustrated him and it hurt too much to do. 

However, one day, while he was listening to Evan read, himself laid back against a tree, he felt the ground of '_The Dream Inscape' _begin to shake. Connor bit his lip, looking around frantically. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he willed himself to try and wake up, to stop whatever was happening to '_The Dream Inscape', _but it only make the ground shake harder, and the sky was breaking up into small bits. He could only see darkness past it, no space, no sparkling stars, just darkness with red seeping through. Everything was shattering around him and he couldn’t make it stop. The ground below him split open and he fell.

The next thing he knew he woke up.

He frantically looked around the room until he met Evan’s gaze. Evan was holding his hand, his arms shaking, he appeared to be kneeling next to him, and his eyes were wide with panic. Their book, ‘_The Belle Jar’ _was tossed aside in a chair next to Connor, where he assumed Evan was previously sitting.

“Say something,” Evan has said so softly, and at first Connor thought he’d imagined it. The way he’d said it was like he was expecting him to forget about _everything, _like how they met in ‘_The Dream Inscape’ _(the name was obviously no longer accurate), that they hung out there, that they were actually friends. 

So, being the smart ass Connor was, simply replied, “Something.”

Evan just started to laugh, tightening his hold on Connor’s hand. “Holy shit- you’re you’re actually _h-here, _with me, and alive.”

Connor usually wasn’t a bold person, but Evan’s blushing face and happy expression encouraged him to press a kiss to his cheek. “You better believe it.”

Of course Evan was a blushing mess at that point, but leaned closer to Connor never the less. “Is it, um, that o-obvious?”

“Nah, if it makes you feel better, I only just figured it out,” Connor laughed.

“I can’t believe a ‘half ghost boy’ haunted me,” Evan joked, snickering.

“Not really, but whatever you say.”


End file.
